NO.
EDITORIALS.
ion
upon the programmes, and but little vari
ation is to be made in the variety of pro.
ductious. To remove the monotony of
these performances, is a dillleull task.
Since it is naturally expected that here
will be found the progress made by the
students in the University from year to
year in their literary pursuits.
The essential caution to be given, is the
danger of so many performers upon each
programme. If these entertainments are
to be made attractive , they must be made
reasonably short. And if so many per.
formers are to be permitted to appear, it
is well that the committes in charge see
that productions do not exceed a proper
length. For there is no greater misfort
une in these exercises than to weary an
audience, with a continual transition
from oratory to music and music to ora
tory. Let, then, the exercises of the approach
ing entertainments produce an example
that may induce others to follow it. Let
the programme be concise, and the prep
aration.be perfect from beginning to end.
And if the exercises are to be opehed at a
fixed time, let tltat time be rigorously ob
served. By such a mode of procedure,
we may win back the good reputation
that we have lost by conducting, in a care
less and loose manner, these exercises.
UNI VKHSITY ATTEN DAN OK.
Notwithstanding the remarkable in
crease in the population i.four stale dur.
ing the last few years, the attendance at
our University seems not to have kept
pace with it. The numbers of students
have fluctuated in a way not altogether
easy to interpret. And now, at the end ol
the eighth year of the existence of our
school, the attendance seems but little
larger than at first. Few have persevered
to t lie end of a coursu of study, and the
proportion of lloating or transitory stu
dents has consequently been very large.
In view ol'lliu improved facilities of the
University, we see no sound reason for
this meagre attendance. It will certainly
become more inexcusable with each sue.
cessive year.
A prominent reason is our lack of acad
emies which characterise the older
states. Perhaps our state will always be
preeminently agricultural, and therefore
lojs thickly dotted with towns than some
others. Hence the imperative need of
good intermediate schools in all of our
villages that are large enough to sustain
them. Parents arc not always willing to
send their sons and daughters to the pre
paratory department of a distant college,
when, at no greater expense, they may
keep them nearer home. At the same
time, they can be pursuing the same
studies that are taught at our Latin school.
Intermediate schools are the natural feed
ers of a college, and unless they are nu
merous and nourishing, we may expect
our attendance to consist chiefly of trans
ient preparatory studen's. A prepar itory
department in connection with a college,
is an expedient justified by necessity
only, and is dispensed with when possible.
It is not good economy to hire a professoi
at a high salary to teach common school
branches.
Wo have many inducements, that arc
tempting, to enlarge the Juno number of
the Student. Containing the Commence
ment news, together witli a review of the
years work, it will be interesting to both
the students and the patrons of the Stu
hunt in general. But one and the great
est inducement has not yet occured.
Our books are not yet balanced, our de
linquent subscribers have forgotten their
indebtedness. We need the small sum to
balance our accounts and then wo will
have a little courage to proceed.
It must be remembered that even col.
lege journals cannot succeed without
funds. For, however ambitious may be
the Editois, their individual purses may
not equal their generosity of soul. Hence
if there are those among us who wish to
see the June number of the Student a
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22
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